All Mountain Style Frame Guard review
The All Mountain Style Frame Guards are easy to install and are designed to protect your frame finish.
Lowdown: All Mountain Style Frame Guard
The All Mountain Frame Guards are easy to install and offer solid protection against scuffing. We’d prefer something a little thicker for vulnerable areas like the downtube, but enjoy the customization aspect, which is something you won’t get from helicopter tape or protective film.
| Material: Semi-rigid PVC | Weight: 28 grams+ |
| Colors: Dozens of colors, graphics | Price: $23-$35 |
| Sizes: Standard, XL, Fork |
Rating:  4 out of 5 |
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Review: All Mountain Style Frame Guard
Lots of people will argue that mountain bikes are meant to get scratched. They are called mountain bikes after all. I don’t subscribe to that notion, though. All my bikes, right down to my cheap-o tandem beater, are special. I go out of my way to make sure they run smoothly and look good.
One of the things I discovered a few years ago was helicopter tape. The name brand stuff isn’t cheap, but it’s worth it. Unlike the eBay knockoffs, it’s much thicker and won’t yellow. Whether you splurge on the real goods or rock the fake stuff, the material can be tricky to apply. You usually want to warm it up and once applied, it’s super tacky. You can’t really peel it off and reapply. Another option is the clear 3M sheets they sell at moto stores, but you have to trim them down to size.
In addition to clear, the company also offers solid colors and some wild patterns.
If you prefer to avoid trimming down tape or carefully applying heli tape, there are companies that offer full custom kits for your frame. Unfortunately, they’re pretty expensive. That leads us to All Mountain Style, a Spanish outfit that offers stylish universal frame protectors.
The design is one size fits all.
Their frame and fork guards are made from a semi-rigid PVC with a honeycomb pattern. They use an automotive grade adhesive backing for mounting, and they’re available in three sizes. There’s a standard size for your top tube, an XL version for the downtube, and an option for your fork.
Each of the frame guards includes one large decal, plus several small chevrons. These arrow-shaped stickies can be used to extend the frame protection. Each packet also contains three small circle decals for cable protection.
Install is easy. No hairdryers required. Just clean the frame and place the decals where you want them. Within the first few minutes, you can remove and reapply without issue. We placed our decal set on a dirt jumper because no bike in my fleet sees more bails and fails.
The frame decal extends only partially down the top tube, leaving large swaths of the frame unprotected.
It’s been four months since application and the decals are holding steady. I’ve hosed the bike down and applied cleaning compounds, and so far so good. My nitpick? The frame guard only protects the upper half of your top tube. That’s like wearing a kneepad that doesn’t sufficiently protect the sides of your knees.
And while the material is strong enough to safeguard against most scratches, it doesn’t offer protection against dents from things like small rocks that your front wheel might kick up. On a gravity oriented trail bike, we’d prefer something thicker, like mastic tape. This thick material also dampens noise, which is why mechanics often apply it to the drive side stays.
While heli tape and 3M film might be cheaper, they don’t offer the same level of color customization as All Mountain Style Frame Protector.
Minor complaints aside, the All Mountain Style Frame Protector is good stuff. I’d prefer something more protective on a downtube but wouldn’t hesitate to run this stuff on a fork or top tube. Not only does it come in your basic clear or black, but it ships in dozens of colors and unique patterns. Does that make it worth more than heli tape or 3M protective film? I’ll leave up to you.
For more info, visit www.allmountainstyle.com.
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